Last week, Governor DeWine announced the “Stay Safe Ohio Order,” the first phase of reopening Ohio businesses. The order permits:

  • Elective surgeries and medical procedures that don’t require an overnight stay to resume Thursday, April 30 at 11:59 pm;
  • Retail establishments and facilities ordered closed by the original order to utilize curbside pickup, delivery or appointment-only (limited to 10 customers at any one time) effective Friday, May 1 at 11:59 pm;
  • Manufacturing, distribution and construction ordered closed by the original order to reopen on Monday, May 4 at 12:01 am;
  • General office environments ordered closed by the original order to reopen on Monday, May 4 at 12:01 am; and
  • Retail establishments and facilities ordered closed by the original order to reopen on Tuesday, May 12 at 12:01 am. 

The order also identified the businesses that must remain closed until further notice, which at the time included restaurants and bars. The Governor announced he was creating two advisory groups of industry professionals to put together a plan for the safe reopening of restaurants and bars and personal care services. We were pleased to have a representative of the Council serve on each advisory group.
The groups worked quickly and came up with their recommendations. Yesterday, the Governor announced that thanks to the efforts of the advisory groups in putting together best practices for safety in their respective industries, they will be permitted to reopen as follows:

The Governor is expected to make an announcement concerning the reopening of child care early next week. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@ohioretailmerchants.com or by calling 614-221-7833.